Yuriy Kapitsa obtained a Master's Degree in law from the Kyiv State University named for Taras Shevchenko and a Doctorate of Sciences in Law from the Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences. In 1977 Kapitsa became the Director of the Centre of Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. There he conducts research on comparative intellectual property law, IPR enforcement, and international/ internal transfer of technology. In addition to his work at the Centre, Kapitsa served as the director of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine project from 2003-2006. The project focused on the approximation of intellectual property legislation of Ukraine to that of the EU. During this time he co-authored a number of law acts and regulations in IPR domain.

Kapitsa conducted research on intellectual property enforcement, combating piracy, and the transfer of technologies at several prestigeous institutions including: Oxford University, Great Britain (2007); Stanford University, USA (2001,2002), and London University, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary and Westfield College (1997). As an international expert he participated in various EU technical assistance projects, dealing with approximation of national legislation to EU and WTO intellectual property standards, IPR enforcement, innovation development, WTO Trade Policy and Law Course.

Kapitsa has authored and co-authored a number of books and articles on international and EU intellectual property law, and the transfer of technology. Including works such as:

Intellectual Property Law of the European Union and the Legislation of Ukraine, 2006;